


The inn

by torna



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sharing a Bed, that trope where ur otp has to share a bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 13:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13788405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torna/pseuds/torna
Summary: Jin and Malos stop to rest at an inn, which is a little awkward when there's only one room left, and the two have only been travelling together for a week.





	The inn

They’d been travelling for a while, and Jin was starting to feel the exhaustion settle in his bones. It was just him and Malos: the man who had once been his greatest enemy, the man who took him in off the streets, gave him a second chance and now served as the only beacon of light in Jin’s life (which Jin found a little amusing. Malos wasn’t the biggest thing associated with light, being a dark blade and all). They’d only been travelling together for a week, but Jin already felt safe in the other man's presence - probably because he’d been on his own for so long now, wandering the cold streets, causing him to grow attached fast. Despite this, Jin had still not opened up to Malos about what had happened to him. It was hard to talk about. He had no doubt Malos had questions to ask that he was keeping to himself: what caused him to become a flesh eater, what happened to his driver, how the once called strongest man in Torna fell so fast and ended up on the streets.

 

Finally stepping foot into the entrance of the crowded Fonsa Myma, Jin pulled his hood so it obscured his face further. It wasn’t really necessary, seeing as he now had the mask Malos had gifted him. He recalled Malos buying it for him in Mor Ardain and awkwardly shoving it towards him. “To cover your core crystal.” He brashly stated. Jin hesitated a moment, causing Malos to shift and avert his eyes before continuing, “Take it or not, I don’t care. I guess I just thought you might feel safer having your core crystal covered up, the world isn’t exactly kind to Flesh Eaters such as yourself.”   
Jin would have smiled if he remembered how to, so instead he simply took the mask and said a simple “Thank you.”    
That was something he’d noticed about Malos; he was usually so self assured and dominating, which must be normal considering he was once one of the strongest beings on Alrest. But when it came to simple things like caring gestures and acts of kindness, Malos was somewhat awkward, like he didn’t know what to do or how to go about it. Jin supposed this was normal, seeing as how at one point almost the entire world was fighting against Malos. He probably wasn’t used to having an ally on his side. Jin wondered if this was actually the first time Malos wasn’t alone, if he’d ever had a companion or someone on his side before. The first thought would be his driver, Amalthus, but Jin know the truth behind the regal almost holy appearance and stature. A man such as Amalthus could possibly never be kind or friendly.

 

He continued trailing slightly behind Malos as they entered the city center. His legs felt numb and weak, he needed to rest. Jin tugged on Malos’ hand to ask him if they could stop and rest.   
Malos stopped and turned to him before asking a simple “What is it, Jin?”  
They’d been walking so long that upon stopping, Jin faltered and crashed to the floor on one knee before he could say anything. Malos immediately reacted, rushing to his side, placing one hand on Jin’s shoulder and the other on his back.  
“Could we please… stop and rest for the night?” Jin muttered breathlessly.  
“Of course. Hell, you should have asked sooner!” Malos replied as he took Jin’s arm and put it over his shoulder to help support him. “There’s an inn nearby, let's stop there.”

  
It only took them a short walk to arrive at the local inn. Jin sat on the bench in the waiting room as he waited for Malos to rent a room. They should be safe for the night, enough time had passed from the Aegis war for nobody to recognise Malos anymore, and knowing this Jin knew they could rest easy. Sleeping in an inn was better than the alternative they took some nights, where they’d have to set up camp and sleep outside, leaving them vulnerable to the elements and vulnerable to attack or ambush. Jin was snapped out of his thoughts from the sound of raised voices from the entrance hall of the inn, but he could not make out what was being said. It went without a doubt that Malos was the one shouting. After about half a minute or so, Malos entered.  
“So… Good news, and bad news. The good news is that rooms here are cheap, we can easily afford to rest here for the night.” He paused. Jin waited a moment, expecting Malos to continue with the bad news. After a few seconds Jin started to doubt that Malos would come out and say it, and so he prompted him to continue.  
“And the bad news would be?”  
Malos looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. And was that the slightest hint of a blush? From Malos of all people? After another short wait, Malos finally came out and said it.  
“There's only one room left, with one bed. Guess we’ll have to share.” Ah, so that's what it was. Malos once again being unfamiliar with friendly interactions with other beings.  
“I see. So be it. Let’s head up.”

 

Their room was up one flight of stairs and at the end of a hall. Malos unlocked the door and they stepped inside. The room was cramped, with a bed somewhere between a single and a double against the window. There was also a table and two chairs at the other side of the room, as well as a wardrobe. Upon seeing the soft bed, Jin uncharacteristically flopped down face first against the soft covers, completely exhausted. He heard a faint chuckle behind him, and rolled over to see Malos smirking.  
“Are you really going to sleep like that? That can’t be comfortable.”  
“I guess you’re right” Jin replied. He set his mask on the table and started to take his cloak off, which he discarded carelessly on the floor. He wouldn't do such a thing usually, but at this point he was too tired to care. He then started to unbuckle and take off his chest armour, before halting upon a realisation: his scar. Malos had yet to see it, but that aside Jin could hardly stand to look at it. Knowing that behind it lay his own drivers heart, the heart he stole, was there. Unsure of what to do next, Jin simply put his hands down on his knee and stared down at them. A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.  
“What is it, Jin?” Malos spoke up.  
“I- Uh…” Jin wasn’t sure how to reply. 

 

After a few moments of silence, Malos finally spoke up again. “Let me throw a few guesses out there. Are you shy? Or maybe I gave you the wrong idea. I only want you to be comfortable, Jin. Nothing more.” Jin kept up his silence, still unsure of what to say. This prompted Malos to continue. “I think I know what it is.” He finally said. The sound of metal against metal was suddenly heard, and Jin looked up to see Malos removing his chest guard, the one he had yet to see Malos without. Once it was unbuckled, Malos let it clatter to the floor, and Jin finally saw it as his eyes widened: the shattered purple core crystal in the center of Malos’ chest.  
“We all have things we want to hide, so I guess it’s only fair if I show you mine first.” Malos finally stated, after about a minute of wordless understanding. Jin stood up and took several steps towards Malos until he was standing in front of the taller man. He raised his hand to the crystal at Malos’s core and ran his hand over it. To his surprise, Malos let out a faint hiss of pain.  
“I’m sorry.” Jin rasped, feeling rather guilty now. Did he just ruin the moment? Before his thoughts could run away with themselves, Malos spoke again.  
“It’s okay, you didn’t know. This is uncommon. When a regular blade is damaged enough, they return to their cores. But I, as an Aegis, am different. There's only one other blade who could experience this.”

 

Jin took this moment to realise that for once, Malos wasn’t acting brash or embarrassed or awkward at this display of friendly human contact and interaction. At this point, Jin was sure he was the first being to see this great tool of destruction in such a soft, caring light. After realising this, Jin decided he should open up a bit too. Wordlessly, and with his back to Malos, he started to remove his torso armour and clothing. When he was done, he finally turned around, revealing his greatest shame. Malos, having kept his eyes on Jin the entire time, finally looked down at the scar Jin had been hiding.  
“It’s… from when I took my drivers heart. I don’t like remembering it.”  
“Say no more.” Malos replied. “It’s in the past now, and you have me. I won’t make you remember it if it brings you pain.” Jin felt truly touched, to finally be seeing this side of Malos, and to be treated so kindly after so long. Unsure of how to reply or properly show his gratitude, he said one thing.  
“Th-thank you.”  
For the first time in a while, Malos finally looked away from Jin. Jin released his breath, which he just realised he had been holding.

  
“We should get some rest, you especially.”  
“You’re right.” Jin responded. He looked up to see Malos removing the rest of his armour. He knew he should look away, but he couldn’t. Especially as Malos’ bare chest muscles and abs revealed themselves. He knew that Malos would have muscle to him, given his size and strength, but seeing it was something else entirely. Jin realised his face felt hot, and he was getting flushed, and turned away before Malos could notice and started to get changed himself. When Jin was done, he was left in only the pants underneath his leg armour. For decency’s sake. He turned around to see Malos in only his underwear. The two of them had only been travelling in the clothes they had, so they had nothing else to change into for sleeping. Jin found himself staring again, and tried his damndest to stop himself from looking below the belt. He felt flushed again, and he realised Malos had probably noticed him staring too. Jin realised that the tables had turned. This time he was the awkward embarrassed one, and as he looked up he realised Malos was smirking. He’d noticed.  _ Oh god. _

 

As his thoughts started to race, the sound of someone clearing their throat brought him back to the real world. Malos gestured to the bed.  
“After you.”  
It was a tight fit, but they managed to fit in together. Though they were a little too close for most people's comfort, Jin found that he didn't mind. It was a little awkward, given that he was squashed in a bed half naked against a man he had only known personally for a week, and Jin took it upon himself to break the awkward silence.  
“It’s nice.”  
“Hm?”  
“It’s been so long since I’ve been this close to another person. It’s nice”  
“This would be a first for me.” Malos replied, confirming Jin’s suspicions from earlier.  
“Oh.”  
“Your skin is warm, it’s nice. I wouldn’t have expected it.”

Jin grew a little flustered again. He took this moment to think about how close the two of them had grown in such a short space of time. It wasn’t probably too unnatural, given that all the two of them currently had was one another, and it felt good to finally open up to someone and be close to someone after all these years. Jin closed his eyes, and his instincts took over as he turned to his side, now facing malos, and put his arm over the other mans toned chest. They stayed like this for a while, before Jin’s eyes shot open upon realising how forward he was being. He jolted forward.  
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Jin wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of a response, but it wasn’t a chuckle he was expecting. He then realised that Malos had let him do that. If Malos had a problem with something, he made it known clearly, but he’d let Jin lean into him. The soft chuckle ceased, and Malos finally spoke in a voice as soft as someone like him could speak in.  
“I don’t mind, Jin. I like it.”  
"Oh.”   
Jin settled back into his previous position. After all these years of being alone, he finally felt safe. He felt loved again, and not alone. With these thoughts and the presence of his loyal companion, Jin drifted off into the first good nights sleep that he could remember for a long time.

  
  


Malos thought about everything that had happened that night. It was all new to him, so unfamiliar, but he liked it. He finally realised at this moment that maybe his now not so hidden feelings for Jin weren’t so unrequited afterall. He looked down at him, who now had his face on his chest, and he saw something new on Jin’s face as he slept: a smile. Malos realised at this moment that he had never seen Jin smile before. It’s a shame.  _ He suits it.  
_ Malos also realised something else, he felt happy and content, despite the fact that he had lost all of his Aegis powers. With these thoughts in his head and Jin next to him, Malos too drifted off to sleep.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I just want to say if Malos seems a little ooc in this? My personal hc is that he can be soft and caring to those he cares about, like the rest of Torna, and he's also a little awkward about it because he isn't used to showing his softer side/doesn't really know how. Anyway I hope u all like I write all kinda of dumb gay torna shit.


End file.
